1. Technical Field
This invention relates to an absorbent article and method for reducing malodor in absorbents used for absorbing body fluids. In one aspect, this invention relates to a novel article for reducing malodor in disposable absorbent products and a method for forming the novel article.
2. Background
Disposable absorbent products currently find widespread use in many applications. In the infant care and child care markets, disposable diapers and training pants have replaced reusable cloth absorbent articles. Other widely successful disposable absorbent products include feminine care products such as sanitary napkins or tampons, adult incontinence products, and health care products such as surgical drapes or wound dressings.
A disposable absorbent product includes a composite structure providing a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent structure between the topsheet and backsheet. The disposable absorbent products include some type of fastening system for fitting the product onto a wearer or an undergarment of the wearer.
Disposable absorbent products are subjected to one or more liquid insults, such as of water, urine, menses, or blood, during use. As such, the outer cover backsheet materials of the disposable absorbent products are made of liquid insoluble and liquid impermeable materials, such as polyolefin films, having sufficient strength and handling capabilities that the disposable absorbent product retains its integrity during use by a wearer and does not allow leakage of the liquid insulting the product.
Although currently available disposable baby diapers and other disposable absorbent products have been accepted by the public, these current products still have need of improvement in specific areas.
Absorbent products intended to absorb urine, for example, may have an unpleasant odor. To render the use and changing of absorbent products less objectionable, a variety of solutions reduce or mask malodors associated with used absorbent products.
One method for deodorizing diapers includes applying one or more masking agents, such as perfuming agents, to a disposable absorbent product. The perfuming agents contain chemicals which are intended to mask malodors in the used product. The use of masking agents, such as perfumes, is not entirely successful, as some individuals exhibit skin or respiratory sensitivities to such perfuming agents. The perfuming agent does not eliminate the malodors in the used absorbent products, and the odor which results from the combination of the used absorbent product and perfuming agent is not always pleasant.
Certain chemical compositions for deodorizing diapers, including acidic materials, antibacterial materials, and solvents which kill bacteria require EPA registration as a pesticide health concern.
Accordingly, there is a need for a new disposable absorbent article and method which reduce the malodors from urine in the used article.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel absorbent article and method capable of reducing the malodors from urine in the used article.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel absorbent article and method capable of reducing the malodors from body fluids in the used article.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel disposable absorbent article and method capable of reducing the malodors from urine in the used article in an efficient and effective manner.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel disposable absorbent article and method capable of reducing the malodors from urine in absorbent products using a material safe for human consumption.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel disposable absorbent article and method capable of reducing the malodors from urine in absorbent products without relying completely on masking agents such as perfumes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel disposable absorbent article and method capable of reducing the malodors from urine in absorbent products which is biodegradable.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a careful inspection of the detailed description and the figures of the drawings which follow.
The present invention provides an article and method for reducing malodor in disposable products for the absorption of body fluids. An effective amount of a pentitol for reducing malodor is applied to an absorbent article, prior to its use. In one aspect, an effective amount of a pentitol for reducing malodor is applied to a fibrous absorbent core in a disposable diaper, prior to its use. In one aspect, the invention provides a novel article and method including an absorbent structure and a xylitol applied to the absorbent product in an amount in the range of from about 4 to about 25 weight percent based on total weight of the absorbent core.
In one aspect, the invention provides a novel article and method including an absorbent structure having from about 10 to about 100 weight percent, based on absorbent structure weight, of a hydrogel-forming polymeric absorbent material and a pentitol applied to the absorbent product. In one aspect, the pentitol is compositionally part of the hydrogel-forming polymeric absorbent material present in the absorbent structure. In one aspect, the pentitol is coated on the hydrogel-forming polymeric absorbent material present in the absorbent structure.
In one aspect, the pentitol is positioned in the area of insult of urine on the absorbent structure.
The pentitol in the novel article and method of the present invention is effective in reducing malodor from urine in the used article.